Cancelling Experian CreditExpert

Spitfire51

I’ve had a subscription with Experian Credit Expert for a few years, and have been meaning to cancel it for a while as it was definitely not worth £9.99 a month to me, or of any benefit.

They obviously don’t make it easy to cancel. I did call once and after being put on hold for several minutes while the CSR “checked the information” hung up and it didn’t pursue it. I believe they set the charge at a level that isn’t significant to most people, so they won’t bother cancelling. Thanks in advance to anyone who is going to remind I have thrown away £120 a year due to my own laziness!

I thought I would be shot of them last year when the credit card they debited was renewed, but this didn’t shake them off, as they just updated the new expiry date without being advised of it by me. I assumed they must have just guessed this was renewed for three years like most cards are, and the card number remained unchanged.

A couple of weeks ago, I lost the card, which HSBC renewed with a new number. At least I will now be rid of Experian, I thought…

It took a couple of weeks to receive the new card, as I was not in the UK at the time, which then required activation.

When I noticed a charge from Experian two days before the card was activated I checked online and was shocked to discover they had added the new card number to the account profile, before I might add I had even received the card myself, or activated it.

I called them to enquire how this could have happened. The representative I spoke to initially told me that “when you have a subscription the bank automatically informs them [Experian]when a new card is issued to update the subscription”. Knowing this to be completely untrue, I pressed him further on the subject and he reluctantly admitted that they had actually obtained the information from my credit report itself. I communicated my thoughts on this underhand practice and he agreed to refund that charge, and cancel the subscription.

Fortunately I did receive a call back from HSBC about the charge later in the day, and when I explained how the card details had been lifted from the credit file our relationship manager was outraged as I was and promised me it would be reported to MasterCard.

Pixie5740

Eh, I'm not entirely sure that what you are saying is true. When you set up a Continuous Payment Authority for a subscription using your card it doesn't matter if the card expires and a new one is issued, or if you cancel the card and request a new one, the CPA remains in place. From what you describe you had a CPA and Experian did nothing wrong in continuing to take the payments even when a new card was issued. I think you've lost something in translation.

Experian_company_representative

Hi Spitfire51,

I am sorry that you have not been able to cancel your CreditExpert membership. It is certainly not our intention to make this a difficult process.

To cancel we ask that you call us on our Freephone number 0800 561 0083 or 0344 481 0800. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am - 7pm, Saturday 8am - 4pm, Sunday closed. Our full cancellation details are here.

I understand that you were cut off when you last called, please [EMAIL="uksocialsupport@experian.com"]email[/EMAIL] your details (name, date of birth and address) so that I can look into this for you.

In regard to payments to CreditExpert, when you set up the membership you agree to a continuous payment authority for the monthly fee.

A continuous payment authority is a type of regular automatic payment that can be set up using a debit or credit card, this is a typical method of payment with majority of on-line subscriptions and allows a service to continue uninterrupted should your payment card be replaced.

The card details are provided to us by your bank automatically to allow this.

Kind regards
Neil

w00519772

Experian_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Spitfire51,

I am sorry that you have not been able to cancel your CreditExpert membership. It is certainly not our intention to make this a difficult process.

To cancel we ask that you call us on our Freephone number 0800 561 0083 or 0344 481 0800. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am - 7pm, Saturday 8am - 4pm, Sunday closed. Our full cancellation details are here.

I understand that you were cut off when you last called, please [EMAIL="uksocialsupport@experian.com"]email[/EMAIL] your details (name, date of birth and address) so that I can look into this for you.

In regard to payments to CreditExpert, when you set up the membership you agree to a continuous payment authority for the monthly fee.

A continuous payment authority is a type of regular automatic payment that can be set up using a debit or credit card, this is a typical method of payment with majority of on-line subscriptions and allows a service to continue uninterrupted should your payment card be replaced.

The card details are provided to us by your bank automatically to allow this.

Kind regards
Neil

Why not have an online facility where you can cancel in one click (like many other websites do)?

I had a membership for three months when I bought a house in 2014. I only needed it for one month, however it was hassle to cancel e.g. I was waiting on hold or there was an IT glitch and I had to call back. I liked the Experian credit report. I found it accurate and simple to use.

I can understand the concerns of the original poster. I would of used Experian a few more times over the last eighteen months if I had a better experience. However, I used Clearscore and Noodle instead as a result.

m4rc

Spitfire51 wrote: »

.....When I noticed a charge from Experian two days before the card was activated I checked online and was shocked to discover they had added the new card number to the account profile, before I might add I had even received the card myself, or activated it.

I called them to enquire how this could have happened. The representative I spoke to initially told me that “when you have a subscription the bank automatically informs them [Experian]when a new card is issued to update the subscription”. Knowing this to be completely untrue, I pressed him further on the subject and he reluctantly admitted that they had actually obtained the information from my credit report itself. I communicated my thoughts on this underhand practice and he agreed to refund that charge, and cancel the subscription.

Fortunately I did receive a call back from HSBC about the charge later in the day, and when I explained how the card details had been lifted from the credit file our relationship manager was outraged as I was and promised me it would be reported to MasterCard.

Sorry but I don't believe this at all, that's not how it works or even how it needs to work. The bank updates the payment authority, it has nothing to do with Experian, they havent 'lifted your credit card number' and I don't believe you were told that by Experian. When you setup a continuous payment authority that's what you've agreed to do and the banks make it nice and easy for us by ensuring payments don't stop when we get a new card.

It sounds like you simply want to blame someone else for you not bothering to spend ten minutes on the phone - you admitted it was laziness yourself.

Usually I try to be as supportive and helpful as I can be on here as too many people will go on the attack, but when something is blatantly not true I can't give you the support you were hoping for.

Ring them and don't hang up after 'several minutes' and it will all be cancelled, I don't agree with what they charge and how hey e people to stick with them but I don't believe they are stealing credit card details.

Haylescom

I hope when you spoke to them this time around you also asked to cancel?
I phoned to cancel my subscription a month ago, and while I was in a queue for a little while (the call was free from my mobile), it was instantly cancelled with no attempt at persuading me to stay. Got an email confirmation 10 minutes later.